


The Lighthouse Trail

by singingninja4



Category: Better Call Saul (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Missing Scene, Road trip...kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:02:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29649669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/singingninja4/pseuds/singingninja4
Summary: Missing scene fic, set after the Lubbock scam in 409: Wiedersehen
Relationships: Jimmy McGill | Saul Goodman/Kim Wexler
Comments: 10
Kudos: 18





	The Lighthouse Trail

The wind blows steadily around Jimmy as he leans against the trunk of the car. He stares down and twists the toe of his flip-flop into the ground, adding the crunch of the asphalt to the steady, snapping intervals from the dancing Texas and US flags above him. The sound of crutches clacking on the concrete interrupts the rhythmic patterns around him, causing Jimmy to lift his head. He sees Kim slowly limping toward him, so he pushes himself off the car, standing to greet her. 

The clacking stops when Kim pauses near a trashcan on the curb. She turns her head back and checks the door to Lubbock City Hall. As soon as she’s sure the coast is clear a smile begins to show in the corners of her lips. Kim tosses the bag of baby bottles in the trashcan, picks up her crutches, and runs toward the car, arms spread to her sides, her smile growing wider and more radiant with each stride. Jimmy loves seeing her like this, and he can’t help but match her smile in return, slow clapping as she closes the distance. 

Kim places the crutches in the back seat, and they both get into the car with wordless excitement. Kim turns toward Jimmy with a bright smile, and he can see the exhilaration brimming behind her eyes as she lets out a breath and closes the car door. “Whew,” she slightly shakes her head, “I can’t believe that really worked!” 

“Kim, are you kidding me?” Jimmy throws his hands out to the side. “That was some Emmy winning acting that went on in there!” 

Kim starts the car and places her hand on the gearshift, throwing the car into reverse. She turns to check behind the car before pulling out of the space, still grinning from ear to ear, “What? No!”

Jimmy gives a sly smile, then mimics Kim’s voice, gesturing wildly with his hands, “YOU LEFT MY CHILD IN JEEP! YOU CAN’T LEAVE A BABY IN A CAR WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?” He laughs from his gut, tears forming at the corners of his eyes, and wipes his eyes with the back of his hand, “Kim, you may have missed your calling!”

Kim snorts as she turns the wheel, leaving the parking lot. “Okay, okay. But you have to admit you really helped sell it, Jimmy. You played a really convincing dumb brother.” She smirks, “I almost broke character at ‘slow down I’m wearing flip-flops!’ It could have ruined our whole plan!”

“That wasn’t acting!” He raises his finger to give emphasis, “I really needed you to slow down!”

Kim attempts to hide a smile, darting her eyes over to Jimmy before turning her attention back to the road. 

“Tell me, what else did you do to sell it when I wasn’t in there? You really played up the crutches, didn’t you? Played on the ol’ heart strings?” he winks.

“Oh, yes. I laid it on thick with the limping. I had to keep hopping for balance as I leaned against the counter before she even asked me what happened. When she finally noticed, I told her I sprained it while trail running.”

“Nice. I’m sad I missed that.” 

They share a quick laugh that fades into a comfortable silence as Kim focuses on the road ahead. Jimmy eventually turns on the car stereo, music playing softly. He leans back a little in his seat and folds his hands behind his head, adrenaline levels coming down after running the scam. 

As they continue weaving their way through the streets of Lubbock back to the highway, Jimmy sneaks a glance at Kim. The sunlight coming through the window highlights her eyes—sparks of blue electricity, showing the lingering traces of exhilaration from the scam. He feels transfixed, drawn to her light like a moth to a flame, and reaches for her hand, still on the gearshift, taking it in his, “You know, we really are great together.”

The corners of Kim’s lips turn up, almost imperceptibly. She briefly looks in him the eyes and strokes her thumb over his hand before turning her eyes back to the road. Her slight smile was enough to show Jimmy she feels the same, even if she didn’t say it. Jimmy keeps her hand in his, interlocking their fingers, and turns his head toward the window, watching the city thin into the countryside—a blurred, flat patchwork of red dirt, cotton fields, and cow pastures, stretching out for miles toward the horizon.

A few minutes pass before Jimmy breaks the silence, “So, we took off the whole day, but we finished up in Lubbock a little sooner than expected…”

Kim raises a brow waiting for him to continue.

“How about we stop and do something fun before heading back home?” 

She presses her lips together and pauses before responding, “Jimmy, you have your hearing tomorrow, and I am swamped with Mesa Verde.” She moves her hand back to the wheel to make a turn.

“Oh, come on. When’s the last time we really had a day off? One that wasn’t forced by an injury or,” he hesitates, “…or some other tragedy?” He doesn’t really want to bring up Chuck, but he doesn’t want this day with her to end either—a day where they can forget about their worries and just be together. 

Kim seems to read this in his tone, deflecting with dry humor, “Well geez, that’s depressing. But when you put it that way…” She mulls it over, and Jimmy can practically see the pros and cons flickering back and forth across her face as he waits. 

“Okay.” She nods, “You make a good point, but we’re kind of in the middle of nowhere,” she places her hand back in his, “what do you have in mind?” 

“Hmmm…” Jimmy strokes his chin with his other hand as Kim merges the car onto the highway. As he ponders, they approach a billboard advertising a state park: “Palo Duro Canyon: The 2nd largest canyon in the US—The Grand Canyon of Texas.” 

He points to the billboard, “I don’t know…maybe that?”

* * *

The sun creeps slowly to its zenith, climbing above the few wisps of clouds streaked across the cerulean sky. Kim and Jimmy, clothed in their new gear they purchased in a nearby town, pass a rustic wooden sign with carved yellow lettering: ‘Palo Duro Canyon State Park.’ A small building sits to the left of the gate, and a park ranger wearing an olive-green uniform and brown brimmed hat is leaning out a window booth, handing a permit to the people in the car in front of them. Kim pulls up to booth and rolls her window down.

“Welcome to Palo Duro Canyon! Y’all need a day pass or are you here to camp?”

Kim answers, “Just a day pass.”

“Ok, for the two of you, that will be $10. Do you need a map?”

Jimmy leans across the console, “Yes, we do! This is our first time here! Recommend any trails or activities?”

“Oh, if y’all are first timers, you’ll definitely want to hike the Lighthouse trail. It’s our biggest attraction” He grabs a map and spreads it out, circling the trail head with a pen before handing the map to Kim. “The road runs in a loop through the canyon, so you won’t need to make any turns to find the trail. There’s a large parking lot right next to trail head. You can’t miss it. Also, the canyon gets about 15 degrees hotter than the surrounding area, so you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of water. If you need supplies, there’s an outpost when you reach the base of the canyon where you can buy some.”

Kim slightly shakes her head, “We stopped for supplies in town before driving out here but thank you for the recommendation.”

The ranger smiles and tips his hat, “Alright. Well, y’all enjoy your hike.”

Kim rolls up the window and drives the car through the gate. Jimmy looks out the window at the scenery around them. To their left, a longhorn is lazily chewing cud behind a barbed wire fence. Beyond the fence, the flat land expands beyond the horizon, flecked with small shrubs. A light breeze gently shakes their leaves.

Kim recaptures his attention, “What do you think? Want to try out the lighthouse trail?”

“Uhhh yeah. Sure, sounds fun! But don’t you think ‘lighthouse’ is an odd name for a trail in the middle of a desert with no water in sight?”

Kim’s shoulders shake slightly as she holds in a quiet laugh, and Jimmy can see that any reservations Kim may have had about this detour are slowly melting away. 

They continue down the road and finally reach the rim of the canyon. The road seemingly vanishes as it curves downward, moving further into the canyon’s depths. Kim drives the car slowly down the winding road as they take in the desert landscape around them. The sky is clear and blue, a canvas behind the canyon’s red walls that are painted with thin, horizontal white stripes. The valley of the canyon is a collage of reds, greens, yellows, grays, and browns, the details of its features still undefined from their vantage point. As they descend further, the spiked mesquite trees, purple-blossomed cacti, and massive boulders begin to take shape.

They reach the parking lot and pull into a space near the trail head. Jimmy steps out of the car and instantly feels heat radiating off the ground as beads of sweat begin to form on his brow.

“That ranger wasn’t kidding. It’s way hotter down here than it was in town. How much water did we bring again?”

“We bought a whole pack of water bottles; it should be enough. I’ll make sure to put plenty of extras in the backpack.” Kim says, opening the trunk. 

They take a moment to apply some sunscreen and bug spray before tossing both into a backpack along with the water bottles, a couple of granola bars, and small first-aid kit. Jimmy slings the bag over his shoulder, “Ready to hit the trail?” 

“Let’s do it.”

Kim marches ahead, and Jimmy follows eagerly behind her.

* * *

There’s no sound but the buzz of gnats and the crunch of their feet on the dry, cracked ground that’s thirsting for water. Every step forward further fractures the top layer of clay, creating a webbed trail behind them. They pass a few other hikers moving in the opposite direction, but aside from that, the trail is mostly empty and still—it is a weekday after all. 

Jimmy interrupts the peaceful atmosphere when he clumsily trips on a fallen branch. He doesn’t fall completely over, but rather loudly stumbles forward, barely catching himself with his hands as he drops to his knees.

Kim hears the clatter and turns back, at first alarmed, but upon seeing that he isn’t hurt, lets out a peal of laughter.

Jimmy straightens up, “Wow. Not that you asked, but I’m okay…” he brushes some dirt off his knees with his hands, “…though my pride isn’t.” He tries to keep a poker face, but Kim can see the hint of a smile behind his eyes. 

She snorts out another laugh, “I’m sorry, Jimmy. It’s just…I know we have that ankle boot and the crutches in the car, but that doesn’t mean you need to find a reason to use them.”

He lets out a soft chuckle, “What a relief!”

Then in a softer tone she says, “Come here, let me check your hands. I packed that first-aid kit in the bag just in case.”

He walks over to where she’s waiting, his eyes crinkling in a smile, “Wouldn’t that have been some poetic justice? One of us actually spraining an ankle after scamming that poor lady in Lubbock.” He sets the backpack down next to them and offers up his hands.

She gently takes his right wrist and pulls his hand up closer to her face. She scrunches her brow and turns his palm upward, running her fingers lightly over his skin to check for any scrapes. His hand is a little scuffed, but the skin didn’t break. 

“We didn’t scam that lady. We scammed the city of Lubbock,” she states matter-of-factly as she drops his hand.

Jimmy lets her take his other hand to examine and wryly says, “Yeah, ok. You’re right. Just the poor city of Lubbock.” He pauses as she turns his other hand over, examining it. “You know, you really have become a master at planning these things. Like, what we did for Huell…Jesus. My plan to defame that cop or to help Huell run would have probably blown up in my face. I’d be kissing my chance for reinstatement goodbye right now. But you,” he moves his free hand and places it on her waist, lightly rubbing his hand up and down, “your plan was pure genius. Just like this Lubbock scam.” 

She lifts her eyes to look up at him with a mischievous smile. Then, satisfied that she didn’t need to get the first-aid kit out of the backpack, she lets go of his hand and steps a little closer to move a lock of hair plastered with sweat on his forehead behind his ear. He moves his other hand to her waist when she gently grabs his face with both hands and plants a soft kiss on his lips, rubbing his cheek with her thumb. She releases him, then stoops down to the backpack next to their feet. She takes two water bottles and granola bars, handing one of each to Jimmy, “Ready to get moving?”

He cracks the bottle open, “After you.”

They see the lighthouse from a distance. A massive, terraced pillar of red rock cut with parallel veins of white sandstone sits atop a wide mesa. Another rock structure faces the lighthouse on the other side, a flat island of faded white and gray rock in stark contrast against the red walls of the canyon. Jimmy and Kim trek across the valley and ascend the trail to the top of the mesa. They stand in the center of it, looking up at the rust-colored monolith in front of them.

A group of hikers poses at the base of the lighthouse, arms around each other’s shoulders, waiting for their picture to be taken. Jimmy and Kim can faintly hear their excited chatter, most of the sound of their voices being swallowed up in the open, vast expanse of the canyon’s valley. Jimmy nudges Kim’s shoulder and whispers, “I don’t know about you, but I was kind of expecting an actual lighthouse, not this pillar of rock.” 

Her nose crinkles as she lets out a short huff of laughter, “What?”

Jimmy beams at her reaction, “I’m just saying—false advertising.”

She turns to face him, “You can’t be serious. A picture of the lighthouse was on the billboards, the map, and probably dozens of other places we passed before getting here.” Jimmy raises his finger, pretending he’s about to refute her statement when she playfully pushes his hand down. Her fingers lace with his as she teases him, “Plus, are you really one to be criticizing false advertising? Your HHM knock-off billboard? Come on.”

“Okay, okay. You’re right.” He laughs, “I’ll defer to the world’s best lawyer.”

The rock structure on the other side of the mesa grabs Kim’s attention, standing out in defiance against its differently hued surroundings. She nudges Jimmy, raising her eyebrows, and slightly tilts her head in its direction, prompting him to turn toward it. He understands her signal, and they wordlessly walk across the mesa. They ascend a path to the top of the structure. Sitting side-by-side, hanging their feet over the edge, they view the maze of trails branching out in every direction around the scattered boulders and foliage below them.

The sun beams peek out from behind the lighthouse structure, giving the illusion that light is illuminating from Kim. Jimmy turns slightly to face her and looks softly at her as he thinks back to their conversation on the trail about their Coushatta scam. In hindsight, his plans to help Huell would have certainly failed, ruining his chances at becoming a lawyer again. But Kim, as always, found a better way. She is truly the only person in the world he can trust, who has his back. The only person who accepts him for who he is, flaws and all. A part of him doesn’t want to believe it, or rather, he almost can’t believe that she would continually choose him. Yet he feels the proof of her want for him. She is a force that pulls him toward her. Like a lighthouse guiding a boat to shore, when he strays too far, she brings him back to her—safe and secure. 

Kim feels his gaze on her and smiles softly in response. She presses her palms into the rock and leans back slightly to soak in the warmth of the sun, shifting the light onto Jimmy as well. He slides his hand over to her waist and pulls her a little closer. She leans her head on his shoulder, and they sit there for a little while, secure on their own little island amid the sea of reddish rock around them. 

Jimmy lightly squeezes her waist, “This little detour was worth it, don’t you think?”

Kim keeps her gaze in front of her, “Yeah, it sure beats reading through the piles and piles of Mesa Verde files I have sitting at home.” She tilts her head to look up at him and lightly pats his knee with her hand, “I’m really glad we did this, Jimmy.” 

He lightly kisses her forehead, “Me too.”

She lifts her head and breaks the silence with a soft sigh, “But as much as I’ve loved this, we should probably start hiking back. There’s still a five-hour drive to Albuquerque waiting for us.” 

“Jesus…you’re right.” Jimmy grunts as he pushes himself up, then reaches his hand down to help Kim stand. “Alright. What time will that put us back home?

“It’s 1:30 now, so if you add in the hike back, changing clothes, and any pit stops we make…probably a little after 8:00.”

“Well, what about dinner?”

“We can just eat something at home, Jimmy. We don’t want to get back too late.”

“Oh no. Unacceptable. We can’t complete a road trip without stopping at a hole-in-the-wall diner somewhere. It’s the law.”

“Oh really?” Kim raises her eyebrows, trying to keep a straight face, but fails. “Well, soon-to-be-reinstated counselor, what do you have in mind?”

“Hmm, I don’t know…” Jimmy ponders a moment before his eyes light up, “What about burgers?”

She nods her approval, and they walk down the path to the mesa, leaving their little island. The sun, moving slowly on its westward descent toward the horizon, is above and behind them as they start their eastward journey back to the trailhead. Walking hand-in-hand, Jimmy follows a few steps behind Kim as the path narrows, the sun lighting the way ahead of them.

**Author's Note:**

> Fic #2!!! I'm still pretty new to this kind of creative writing, so any and all comments and feedback are appreciated 😊


End file.
